Bowne Won’t Fly Off to East but Will Walk On at UCLA

Although he was just a step below the caliber of athlete able to earn a Division I football scholarship, Ryan Bowne of Notre Dame High still had plenty of options for his football future.

A 6-foot, 185-pound quarterback who led the Knights to the 1994 Southern Section Division III title and an undefeated regular season in 1995, Bowne had enough football ability, and the grades, to qualify as a prospect for Ivy League schools.

Ivy League schools do not offer athletic scholarships but they can provide financial aid and a competitive football atmosphere at the Division I-AA level.

After the football season, Bowne visited Pennsylvania and Yale. He came away impressed but felt there was something missing.

Still, two days before his self-imposed deadline to decide on a school, he had all but decided on the Quakers. That is, until he woke up the next day and abruptly decided . . . to walk on at UCLA.

Bowne is one of two Southern Section quarterbacks selected for the first Monarch Challenge, an all-star game pitting the best seniors among Southern Section schools in Valley College’s recruiting area against a like team of City Section seniors.

Which means the game Monday night at Valley College could be the last game Bowne plays. Kickoff is at 7 p.m.

After agonizing over the decision for months, Bowne passed up a likely chance to play at the college level, preferring to remain near his family.

“When I was back East, I talked to the guys who were there from the West and they all talked about how they wanted a change, and to get away from the West,” Bowne said. “I just didn’t feel that. I’m sure I could have gone there and had a good experience, but I’m just a California kid at heart.”

Bowne, 18, kept in close contact with the Bruins’ staff through the recruiting process, but will arrive at UCLA as a walk-on, with no guarantee of playing time.

“I don’t see it as much of a risk because there are no guarantees anywhere,” Bowne said. “I could go to Penn or to Yale, and who knows if I will play? I’ll go to UCLA and show them what I can do and see what happens.”

The chance to play for a Pacific 10 Conference team appealed to Bowne in several ways. His two older siblings also choose UCLA.

The proximity of the campus to the Pacific Ocean is an extra benefit. An avid surfer, Bowne usually catches waves twice a week.

“And I can’t stand the cold,” he said. “It’s not for me.”

Bowne is vigorously preparing for fall workouts. He has gained 10 pounds of muscle and recently began a weight-training program designed by UCLA coaches.

Four times a week, Bowne works out with Notre Dame teammates Troy Garner and Edgar Nava in the school weight room.

He has spent the last three weeks practicing with his teammates for the game. Included on the Southern Section roster for Monday’s game are future Bruins Gabe Crecion and Jason Zdenek, both of Chaminade.

They probably know as much about Bowne’s success as anyone.

Bowne, who is Notre Dame’s all-time leading passer with 3,673 yards and 39 touchdowns in two seasons, led the Knights to a 24-2 record and a pair of Mission League titles.

Bowne didn’t usually play defense, but he intercepted a Zdenek pass in the end zone in the final minute of play to seal Notre Dame’s 19-15 victory over Chaminade in the regular-season finale.

The matchup featured two undefeated teams and decided the Mission League title.

“There was something about that game that meant even more than winning the [Southern Section] title,” Bowne said. “Maybe it was the fans, there were so many, right on top of you. To play in a game like that was the ultimate.”

If Bowne is looking for a similar moment of glory in big-time college football, UCLA is a haven for walk-on quarterbacks who stumble into the spotlight.

Rick Neuheisel became a starter and was most valuable player of the 1985 Rose Bowl. John Barnes, a walk-on transfer from UC Santa Barbara, led UCLA to an upset victory over USC in 1992.

For Bowne, that’s plenty enough incentive to stay close to home.

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Monarch Challenge All-Star Football Game

* When: Monday.

* Time: 7 p.m.

* Site: Valley College 5800 Fulton Ave., Van Nuys.

* Admission: Adults $6, students $4, children under 12 $2.

* Directions: Take the 101 Freeway to Coldwater Canyon. Go north to Burbank Boulevard. Turn left and parking will be on the right-hand side.